Complicated
by alcohol daydream
Summary: Things aren't looking good once again for Danny, but will certain changes and new revelations be able to help? When everything is out in the open it only gets more....complicated.
1. Chapter 1: Can It Get Any Worse

**This is my first Danny Phantom fanfiction so hopefully all goes well and I don't screw it up. **

**I do not own Danny Phantom, Butch Hartman does, lucky guy. **

**Summary: Danny is having another one of those bad days. Things just aren't going well and he has some new challenges to face. Can he overcome what is to happen or has he finally met his match.

* * *

**

And then there was one…….yep just one left.

All day had been an ongoing battle that seemed to go from bad to worse to just plain unbearable. Everyday had been like this lately for Danny; ever since……well ever since his father installed the new "Fenton guard" on the ghost portal. Well rightfully so, I mean wouldn't you install extra safe guards after a powerful ghost tries to steal a doorway into another dimension? All intentions aside, it backfired. Instead of making things safer, more controlled, basically he made things more dangerous, and uncontrollable. Ghosts left and right have been getting loose and with no real way to keep them in the ghost zone Danny was in a constant state of combat. But things looked to be getting better today at least.

There had been no real sightings in the last hour and he was about to finish off the last ghost in front of him and call it a day. Sleep sounded so good right now. He had been in ghost form for almost two days straight and was beginning to forget what it was like to be human. Forget what it was like to be human! Was that possible? He hoped not. Then out of nowhere…….

"Ahhh!" Danny cried as a blade flew up from beneath him and sliced his arm from his elbow to his shoulder. "What now? Where did that come from!"

"From me ghost boy! That was just a warning shot, but the next won't be!" Valerie shouted as she charged towards him on her jet board.

"Oh, c'mon, can this day get any worse? I mean I have been going non-stop and all I get in return is a sharp object lodged in my arm."

"That isn't all that's going to be lodged in you ghost! Prepare yourself for the end! "

"Oh crap…….."

* * *

"C'mon Tucker we have to meet up with Danny. Hopefully he is having better luck then we are tonight with ghost fighting. I mean how hard is it to catch the box ghost!" Sam said as she rounded another corner.

"Well it isn't my fault that he threw that box of books at me. I mean being buried under a pile of encyclopedias is not fun for anyone." Tucker retorted. "Besides Danny has ghost powers and all we have is a bag full of Fenton thermoses', so the luck is on his side."

"Yeah, but I still don't like him fighting all these ghosts on his own. I mean what if something happens to him, or something sneaks up behind him?"

"Danny has been doing this a while now Sam. It isn't like this is all new to him or anything. Plus he seems to be getting more powerful everyday. I mean he has almost gotten the hang of that ghostly wail of his."

"'If getting a hang of' means almost passing out instead of actually losing consciousness, then yes he is getting better at it. I don't care how much more powerful he is getting; he is still just one person fighting the whole city!"

"Well yeah when you put it that way I guess you have a point."

"Duh, so let's get going. I will feel better once I see him and I know he is okay."

"I am sure that is the only reason that you are in a rush to see him." He said with a smirk across his face.

"Shut up Tucker. I am too tired for this right now." Sam said half blushing, half tired from all the ghost hunting.

"Whatever man, you can't pretend like it didn't happen."

"Yes I can."

"No, you can't"

"Yes I can"

"No, you can't, and you shouldn't. I mean if one day I was blushing at the mere glance from him, then the next I was……."

"I said shut up Tucker!" Now she was bright red and started to pick up pace towards the last place they saw Danny.

* * *

"Get back here Ghost! Don't run away from me you coward!" Valerie screamed as she pressed hard against Danny's heels.

"Yeah right, I'd rather be a coward than skewered. Look I don't want to fight you. I don't understand why we can't just talk it out." Danny yelled back to her as he dodged shots from her canon.

"Like you have anything important to tell me. Like anything you say will change what you did!"

"Yeah well maybe I didn't do anything! Maybe it was all circumstantial."

"Yeah right. Like I'd believe that! Every time something goes wrong in my life you are there dab smack in front of my face. That ends tonight!" She pulled out another gun when the canon ran out of power. "I am not letting up until you fall Ghost!"

"Well you have to admire her persistence, but that is what is going to get me killed. I need to get out of here. I need a distraction." He looked about wildly at anything that might provide a long enough distraction to get away from Valerie. Unable to get a good look while trying to escape the constant barrage of attacks from behind him, he did the only thing he could think of. He went intangible and flew into a nearby building.

Hoping that it was abandoned, he chose the nearest window that he could. Luckily it was empty and he dove into what looked like a closet to try and hide from her. He could hear her outside, hovering around. "This is no good. All I am doing is hiding from her, but what else can I do? Her weapons are getting better at hurting me and I am getting worse at dodging them. You would think I would have gotten better at this by now." He then sat in silence for a few minutes and after hearing nothing for a bit he stuck his head out of the closet to check if the coast was clear.

"Phew, I think I lost her…….."

"Think again." A whisper in his ear and a hum of a gun was all he heard. He turned around and had a barrel of a gun in his face. "Told you it was all over tonight…."


	2. Chapter 2: Yes It Can

Sam stopped suddenly. Tucker ran right into her sending them both to the ground. A rub of the shoulder and a check of the face and they were both back on their feet.

"Why did you stop like that so suddenly? A little warning next time would be nice." Tucker said brushing his pants off. He continued to stare at Sam for a sec while he readjusted his glasses. "Earth to Sam, are you ok?"

"Did you hear that?" She asked obviously straining against the other white noises to try to hear it again. "Just now?"

"No, I was too busy tripping over you to notice anything."

"There it is again!" Sam jumped in her spot.

"It sounded like gun fire." Tucker said sort of straightly. Then said it again with a bit more worry. "It sounded like gun fire!"

Sam gave him a sort of 'told-you-so' look quickly followed by an all too apparent 'let's hurry' gesture.

* * *

The gun hummed in his face and for a moment time stood still. He had nowhere to run and was probably not fast enough to avoid being hit by the blast. His options were slim, but he knew he had to try anyway.

"Goodnight ghost boy." Valerie said with a trace of satisfaction in her voice. She pulled the trigger and all went into slow motion. Danny, being only inches from the gun knew that there was no way to avoid being hit. Not enough time to go intangible or fly away. He did the only thing he could at the moment and that was roll away. Anything was better than being shot in the face, anything.

The shot rang out and hit him square in the shoulder. He let out this horrific pained yell the minute the shot came in contact. His ear was ringing and he couldn't hear a thing. He thought for sure that he was missing the whole side of his face because he could no longer feel it. His arm went numb as he was thrown back into the wall. His vision was cloudy and his thoughts were all over the board. 'This is it. This is how it is going to end. What did I ever really accomplish by doing this? I really should have talked to my parents in the first place. I really should have been nicer to Tucker, and Sam……Sam……I….' He started to black out after his head hit the wall, and he could feel the blood soaking his clothes, but in the distance he could hear Valerie's gun warming back up for the finishing shot.

It happened so fast after that……………

* * *

"That was Danny! He's in trouble." Sam continued to run, frantic now and certainly fearing the worst.

"What are we going to do? I mean if that was gun fire then for sure it is Valerie and we can't exactly run in and attempt to rescue him with out tipping her off." Tucker declared.

"I don't know, but we can't just stand by and let her hurt him. We need to do something, like cause a distraction. What kind of weapons do we have to work with? There has to be something!"

"All I have is a bag full of Fenton Thermoses' and my PDA."

"Just short of throwing the PDA at her there isn't much we can do here!" She threw her arms up in frustration at the lack of being able to help. She started to pace.

Tucker watched her pace and tried to think of something, but nothing came to mind. All of a sudden they heard Valerie let out a vicious laugh and the gun went off again. The two froze up as they heard what sounded like a building collapsing.

* * *

Valerie was charging up for the final shot, or what Danny was sure was going to be the final shot, the shot that finally ended his days as the phantom hybrid.

Valerie put on this hard face with a twisted smile, already confident that she had defeated the ghost boy who ruined her life. The gun was finally done charging up and she steadied her grip, aimed, and then once again pulled the trigger. It happened so fast after that.

Danny, unable to move for the most part, felt separated from his body somehow. Like he was an observant more than the player, where he was watching all this happen instead of actually living it. Valerie wasn't as close to him this time. She was still across the empty room where she took her first shot that sent him flying. He lay across the room on the floor propped up against the wall, barely able to move. Had this been the first shot he would have had plenty of space to get out of the way or go intangible, but now he was seriously injured and again out of options. Too weak to move he couldn't use any of his basic powers to help out, and not having clear vision or great hearing at the moment he couldn't really see and other options out. His body had other plans though, taking over for starters.

All of a sudden he was going intangible to avoid the shot and shifting his weight to the side to avoid being hit dead on. The blast still connected with him, but not at severe as the first one. Hitting the numb arm and his entire left side, it definitely winded him, but it went wider than the last one so it also took out a good chuck of the wall. The structure was undeniably beginning to give out, not a good sign. Why was it always in a condemned building? Why not a building made of supported steel and concrete?

Figuring she had finally got the best of him, Valerie let out this laugh. It was backed by completion of her revenge and the satisfaction of knowing that her skills had greatly improved as a hunter. Her laugh rang loud and filled the buildings halls, echoing out the broken windows. Then a sudden noise brought her back to reality. He was still moving after that shot! How? No it must be pieces of the wall falling down or something. A groan shattered that thinking right quick. How could he have survived that blast? I hit him! Seeing him try his best to crawl away she grabbed another weapon, but in her haste to finish him off she made a grave mistake. She grabbed the canon.

He was unable to see out of his left eye, his whole left side was numb and in pieces, and he was pretty sure that he was now permanently deaf in his one ear. He was still trying to get away. Basic will to survive had kicked in and he didn't care how pathetic he seemed, but crawling was all he could manage at the moment. Being in ghost form was probably the only thing keeping him alive, but after being weakened by fighting all day long and taking both of those hits from the huntress over there he knew that he would change back into a human any minute. Then he looked up and froze in terror. She had grabbed the canon. Was she serious! In here! She was getting desperate and making bad calls, getting sloppy. The building would not survive the next blast for sure.

It didn't.

* * *

Sam and Tucker round the last corner just in time to see the building come down. Well at least the top three floors of it anyway. The five story building buckled after the weight of the top floor collapsed in on itself causing a chain reaction that resulted in the demise of half the building. They saw Valerie fly out on her board and hover around all the smoke that came up from the dust and fire that was all about. No sign of Danny though.

"Oh my gosh, Danny!" Sam screamed as she ran towards the rubble.

"No Sam wait!" Tucker grabbed her wrist in attempts to stop her. "Wait, it isn't safe yet. Pieces of the structure are still falling and you can get hurt!"

She stopped but for a second then pulled her hand away from him. She put her arms up in front of her face and ran in to the rubble, pieces still toppling over each other in a landslide of bricks and drywall. Tucker quickly ran into the mess as well hoping that Danny had gotten out in time.

* * *

Valerie hovered around satisfied that that had done the job. She couldn't see through the dust and smoke, but waited above for a bit with the canon in her hand ready for another shot had he survived and tried to get away. After a few minutes she decided that all was done and she headed for home, happy with herself. Luckily she didn't notice the teens below searching through the debris for their friend.

"Danny! Danny! Where are you? Call out to us, let us know where you are." Sam cried out.

"Hey Danny, c'mon, give us a sign to let us find you!" Tuck screamed out.

Danny wasn't paying much attention at the moment. Still in ghost form for the moment he tried to clear his vision. Something was putting pressure on him. He had avoided the shot from the weapon only barely, but not being able to do much else he fell along with the rest of the structure. He could tell he was pinned down under something, but not until his vision cleared up a bit did he see the severity of it. His whole torso was crushed by a pillar like object and his one leg was under a piece of a wall. Panic set in, then he felt it. All his energy was spent and the two familiar rings appeared signaling the transformation back into Danny Fenton.

"NOO!" Danny wailed as the transformation back was complete and all the pain came in one fail swoop.

"Danny! Danny, where are you?" Sam cried as she heard his scream. "I can't see you! Danny…."

Tucker swiftly ran to where the wail was coming from and could see part of Danny's arm through the rubble. "Sam over here, quick!" He motioned her over.

"Oh my gosh, Danny are you ok!" Frantic, Sam was trying to move pieces to get to him, but all Danny could do was cry out in pain. "Danny hold on. We are coming."

Danny's cries died down a bit, his voice giving out. Then the pain stopped. Not faded, just stopped. Not good. He saw a bit of the streetlight as his friends moved pieces to get to him. He could swear that he heard the faint sounds of an ambulance, but he couldn't be sure. "Sam…"

"Danny I'm here, just hold on."

"Sam…."

It was then that he was aware that he was swimming in a pool of his own blood and couldn't feel anything below his neck. He passed out just as he saw the outline of Sam's figure over him, just like an angel. His angel.


	3. Chapter 3: Watchful Eyes

Well here is chapter three, and all seems to be going to plan so far. Thank you all for the kind reviews and I can only hope that I keep on making you enjoy the story. Sorry for the slow updating but I have no real internet access to speak of so basically it is all hand written until I get to a computer to type her up...so yeah, please be patient with me

So this chapter is a bit on the short side. If I continued on then it would have been unbearably long winded. So it will kind of just end abruptly. Hope to get the next chapter up soon!

As per the usual Danny does not belong to me, but to Butch Hartman. I do not claim any rights to him or any other character.

* * *

A figured looked on as the ambulances pulled up followed by a few fire trucks. The emergency workers quickly attempted to subdue the fire and the EMTs attempting to unbury their patient from the rubble. He could see the friends standing to the side, looking on as their friend desperately clung to life as they pulled him out of the debris. His plan seemed to be working out well. His protégé was getting better by the day and got closer to defeating the boy than he ever did. All his well thought out plans and deceptions and all it was going to take to defeat Danny Phantom was a large gun. Hilarious.

"I never imagined that she would come so far. I will have to remember to reward her with some new toys." A grin appeared on his pale face. "Now things shall start to fall into place. If all goes well then Danny will fall right into my grasp, unable to escape, or he will die. Either way it's a win/win situation. Just you wait little badger, you will be mine."

He chuckled to himself, then in a whirl of smoke he was gone. Off to his next destination.

* * *

It took three hours and about twenty men to move the debris away from Danny's body. They were thinking of hiring a crane but they found the pieces were easily broken down and removed. Bit by bit their target was coming closer to being removed.

In the meantime Sam and Tucker waited on the side. They eagerly awaited any news on their friends condition. All they could say, without being able to get to him, was that it was imperative they get to him fast, lest he be lost. Every minute felt like an hour and thoughts raced through their minds, both agreeing to hope for the best.

Tucker could see that Sam was trying her best not to break down. She was shaking and biting at her fingers. He put his hand on her shoulder. "how you holding up?" He could tell by her forced smile and quick dismissal of eye contact that she was a bigger mess than he was. "Don't worry, I am sure everything will be all right. I mean this is Danny we are talking about" He tried to sound confident, strong for her.

"The way he was shouting, the amount of pain he was in must have been unbearable. I mean he was sitting in a pool of his own blood, unable to get free. Had we not been close by, had we ran late in meeting him or he went out on his own….." She trailed off for a bit, breaking down as she rambled off a list of what ifs…. "Tuck, what can we do? I mean, we have to talk him out of doing this for a while." She said after a few minutes and regaining some composure.

"What do you mean? Like get him to stop fighting ghosts? It is not like he gives himself the choice. Remember, he feels responsible for opening the portal to the ghost zone that day. Plus if a ghost attacks then what is he to do? Just sit by and watch." Tucker tried to explain to Sam, knowing full well that she understood their current life situation. He understood that all Sam was trying to do was protect her best friend.

Tucker knew that Danny and Sam had grown closer to each other, and was nothing but happy for them. He knew probably as long as they did that feelings were there, and that all they had to do was realize it in each other. Danny had become more passionate about life and Sam had a bit of a brighter outlook on things since they started being a couple, although they might not openly proclaim it. He saw the little flirting they did, the holding of hands. So here and now he understood all to well what Sam was feeling, and he didn't know how to comfort her, besides he was a mess too. His best friend was buried alive and he could do nothing to help.

Suddenly a man yelling and sudden activity caught their attention. They were bringing over the stretcher to the pile and they saw a chain of men forming. They were pulling him out and readied the ambulance for immediate departure. Sam and Tuck watched as Danny's bloodied and broken body was retrieved from the mess of bricks. His arm hung lifeless at his side and it didn't look like he was breathing. They tied him into the stretcher and checked for a pulse. "He has a pulse!" a man shouted and everyone started to clap with a sigh of relief. "Quick get him to the hospital or we will lose him!"

Sam and Tucker jumped into the ambulance as they put Danny in right behind them. They shut the doors and the sirens came on signaling everyone to clear a path. Sam reached over and grabbed Danny's hand, squeezing it tight. With her other hand she brushed some of his messey black hair out of his face.

"Come on danny, you are strong, you can beat this." Sam forced a smile and fought back the tears that wanted to come out. Tucker just sat with his head in his hands, thinking.

"We will call his parents when we get there." Sam half whispered.

"What do we tell them?"

"I don't know? Should we make up something?"

"We can say that we were walking when all of a sudden the building came down on us. Danny pushed us out of the way and…….."


	4. Chapter 4: Neutral Spaces

**Yep, told you it would take a bit to update. I had the chapter done like two months ago, but no computer makes it a slow task updating. The next one is almost done as well so the update won't be as long promise, but after that is all up in the air right now...**

**As per regulations Danny doesn't belong to me, but to Butch, the brillant man that he is. **

* * *

There was someone here beside himself. Of course he had no idea where 'here' was at the moment. His senses weren't giving off any inkling and his gut, although naturally tense as of late, seemed at ease. He seemed to be floating, but where he was floating he had no idea. He didn't really need to put any effort into hovering there so he rested as the darkness supported his weight for him.

Stillness, quiet. Danny couldn't hear anything moving or feel any kind of air movement around him. It unnerved him a bit. To the point where he was constantly looking over his shoulder to see if anything was behind him, sneaking its way under his senses. Nothing.

Danny wasn't alone. His first clue was the voice that called to him, and the second was the figure that suddenly appeared before him. "Hello Daniel."

Daniel. He hated when people called him that. Only two other people called him by his full name and neither of them was ever giving him good news. Now was not the time to dwell on arch enemies or high school professors, but rather the glowing figure in front of him. The boy looked familiar, but thoughts of him seemed hazy to Danny. The pieces of pictures falling together to form an answer came all of a sudden and Danny tried to take a step back. There he was, face to face with a white-haired, black jump-suited, teenage boy. Danny looked back to Phantom with a questioning look. "Is that what I really look like now?"

Danny hadn't recognized himself at first, a bit amused and scared at that realization. It was true; Danny Fenton was looking at Danny Phantom, but was unable to comprehend how he had changed so much. Phantom seemed skinnier and more toned, muscles obvious below the hazmat suit. The hair was a little more unruly, but still managed to look like it was styled. He held himself a bit higher, more confident, and his face had a look of pure accomplishment to it. The piercing green eyes were what Danny was starring at when Phantom spoke again.

"Daniel, it seems we have much to talk about."

"Call me Danny. I hate being called Daniel." Danny had said still looking at his alter ego. He wished that he paid more attention, like maybe looking in a mirror once in a while just to check up on things. Usually he just woke up, got dressed from clothes on the floor, and ran to school. It never occurred to him that he should look in the mirror for anything, let's face it, we were lucky if he brushed his hair most days.

"Fine Danny it is." Phantom had the same voice as Danny, but it spoke with more confidence, more assurance behind it.

"Where are we?"

"Where we are is not important, just let the fact that this is neutral territory be all you need to know."

"Neutral territory? Do you mean that we are in my head?!"

"Correct! And you have trouble passing your classes? I mean that took you no time to figure out." Phantom said with a mocking tone pointed at the grades the boy brought home.

"Well I figured seeing you as a separate being and wanting to have a chat with me, where else could we be?"

"Very astute. Now down to business, shall we?"

"Sure what else can I do?" Danny said waving his arms around motioning to the lack of scenery.

"Danny, we have a problem. One that, as of right now, doesn't seem to have a good outcome."

"What else is new?! Let me guess, one of my enemies escaped and has plans to take over the world? Or did I fall into an alternate universe and now I am in someone else's body and have to help them get through a rough patch in their life? If it involves taking some kind of test, having to reverse some kind of bizarre wish, or the box ghost, count me out."

"Are you done? A bit strung out are we?"

"Well if you haven't noticed from in here I have been having a hard time of it out there lately."

"That is the problem at hand actually."

"What is? All the fighting I have been doing?"

"Yes."

"Well all I have to do is shut the portal down. I mean my dad installed….."

Phantom cut him off. "No, it isn't the portal."

"Well then what is it?" Danny obviously getting annoyed now.

"You are getting more powerful."

"And that is a problem how? Isn't that a good thing?"

"One would think, but not in this case. Your body can't handle it much more. It already has been working overtime as it is. Haven't you noticed, I am sure you have?"

"Do you mean the not being able to change back into myself?" Danny now started to feel worried.

"Among other things." Phantom was now flying around Danny, sort of looking him over. He could tell that this conversation was making him upset.

Sharing the same mind as his counter part made this easy. It was a fact that Phantom was Danny and Danny was Phantom, but it was also obvious that when Danny was Phantom he had more confidence, more bravado about him. Not to say that they were two separate people, because they weren't, but personality wise there was a difference.

Danny came to the realization of what was going on. He realized why he was feeling troubled at Phantom's words. Here he was, stuck in the subconscious of his mind telling himself about problems that he had. He concluded that the reason that 'Phantom' was breaking the news to him was that it was the form his mind associated with trust. Who else would his mind have chosen? Just then a familiar voice rang out.

"Do you understand now?"

Danny looked puzzled at the figure now standing in front of him. A moment ago it was Phantom floating there, now it was Sam?

"Do you understand the issue at hand?" The figure of Sam was now looking back at his face staring at her. "You probably figured out how all this works then didn't you. You assume Phantom to be the form of trust, but apparently you think the same of her. The face may be different but the message is still the same."

"Yeah I get it, but what can I do? I mean how can I just stop becoming more powerful? I have been practicing using my new powers, trying to get them under control."

"That isn't it I am afraid. They are controlling you more than you may believe. It is only a matter of time before your body shuts down completely. Why do you think changing back has been so hard? Your body can no longer contain the energy you possess."


	5. Chapter 5: Wakey Wakey

Danny was now shocked. Was it true? Was he now so powerful that not even he was able to contain it? The air was now filling him with fear and uncertainty. For the first time in a long time he was afraid of his powers.

"Is there anyway to stop it?"

"Stop your progression? I am afraid not." Sam's figure was being very frank. "I am sorry to say, but for now we must leave it at that."

"That's it?! That is all you are going to tell me!?"

"It's time you wake up."

"What?"

* * *

Danny opened his eyes. It took him a moment to clear his head and see where he was. It seemed to be hard to focus his vision. Then it hit him, and it hit him hard. He felt as if a building had fallen on him, literally. Also, this was the first time in almost a week that Danny wasn't in ghost mode, and his body, which in human form was more vulnerable, was reminding him of it.

He sat up with a start, half remembering his last waking moments and regretted it instantly. He let out this stunned yell and clutched at his sides, squeezing all the tubes and needles stuck in him at the moment. Seconds later a nurse, doctor, and Maddie Fenton came running in to see what was going on.

"Danny! You're awake!" Maddie ran to her son with tears in her eyes.

Things were still kind of hazy for him. Now realizing that his one eye was covered with a bandage, and there was a constant ringing in his one ear, he looked over to where he saw his mother standing. "Mom?" He said obvious that he was in a bit of pain. "What happened? Where am I?"

"You are in the hospital dear. There was an accident. Sam and Tucker brought you in after they found you. Apparently the building was structurally unsound and was falling apart." She was trying not to get upset again. Fighting back more tears, "Danny you are just lucky to be alive."

"Lucky?" Remembering his looming issue with his powers, he said it with scoff. He had said it to himself in a low tone, but his mother instantly picked up on his mood. She instantly became more worried and it showed on her face. She was about to say something when suddenly Sam came running into the room. She was followed by Tucker and his father, Jack Fenton.

"Danny!" Sam yelled as she ran over and threw her arms around him. A wave of relief and a blush came over her pale face, although she quickly let go when he cringed in pain at the contact. "Oh sorry, sorry!" She backed up a bit apologizing.

"It is ok." Danny said in-between clenched teeth. He then decided to lie back down, closing his good eye.

"How are you feeling Danny?" The doctor asked after a second of silence and looking at his chart.

"Like a building fell on me."

"Well then at least we know you still have your wits about you."

"Of course he does, he is a Fenton!" Jack beamed in the background noticeably clear that he was happy his son seemed to be ok. "And Fenton's don't know how to quit."

Danny couldn't help but smile at his father. Always the optimist. Most of the time his father was oblivious to the situation, always grabbing at the wrong conclusions, but he meant well and was always ready to stand up for what he believed in, no matter who put him down. That was probably one of the strong qualities that drew his mom to him. He could tell in their everyday mannerisms that they were made for each other. They completed the other and nothing could split them apart. The hard times brought them closer together no matter what his father did to make his mom mad, and in the long run they never could stay mad at each other for long.

"Well we are going to have to keep him a few days for observation, and we are going to have to take more blood from him later, it seems the first batch got contaminated." The doctor said still holding the chart.

"Contaminated? How did that happen?" Maddie asked a bit confused.

Danny's eye shot open. _They took blood?! Of course they did, this **is** a hospital. Oh no they found something? Well the doctor did say it got contaminated, maybe it really did. Maybe some lab technician spilled some coffee into the sample or sneezed onto the microscope. It could happen, but what were the odds it happened to his sample. Also I wonder what they did find in my blood. Not once since I was transformed did I think to get a blood test done. Maybe I would have found nothing back then, but now that my powers are growing it is affecting my body in all sorts of ways. I am getting worried now. Someone could find out my secret. It was probably ectoplasm in my blood. Every time I was hurt these past few weeks my blood did look a bit more iridescent. _

"Well we are still unsure, but like I said, we will take more and get back to you with those results.' The doctor put the clipboard down onto the bed and turned to leave the room. "So let him get some rest for now and you can all visit with him later.

"Is it ok if I talk with Sam and Tucker really quick?" Danny asked.

"Sure, but make it quick, you need to sleep." Maddie said giving her son a peck on the forehead. She brushed some hair out of his face and turned to Jack. She gave her husband a strong face, but he knew that she was upset at the condition her son was in. Both of his parents left the room leaving behind Sam and Tucker.

"So how are you really feeling Danny? I mean you seem to be ok." Tucker asked his bandaged friend.

"Okay I guess, all things considered. I mean at least Valerie won't bother me for a while. She probably thinks that I bit it back there. I mean she used some powerful weapons back there, so I guess I am lucky to be alive." He said trailing off at the end having to think about what he was saying. Suddenly he noticed Sam had her head to the side hiding her eyes from view. He was about to ask if she was okay when….

"Don't let the strong face fool you Tucker, he is holding back his pain for us." Sam said with a straight face on.

"Sam, I ….." Danny started to say, but was cut off.

"Damnit Danny, you could have been killed! Do you know how much it hurt me to see you in that condition? Not moving, barely breathing, obvious that you were seriously hurt, and that there was absolutely nothing I could do to help you." Sam was holding back tears and that just made him feel worse. "You take to many risks, and you need to start paying attention to yourself more. You aren't giving yourself time to recover before you jump right in to the next thing."

"It's not like I have much of a choice Sam. I mean who else is there to fight all the ghosts that attack the town?"

"Well you don't have to fight them all!"

"I can't exactly pick and choose Sam, that isn't how playing hero works. It is either all or nothing."

"Yeah, well remember you are only half hero. The other half is just a regular teenager, with a normal life."

"And just what about my life is normal?! How is turning into a ghost normal?! Nothing has been normal since the day I entered that portal, and it just keeps getting worse." Danny cried out. It was now very apparent that something was bothering him. He looked at his friends to see that they were just staring back at him. He hated when they worried about him. He hated whenever **_anybody_** worried about him. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but he could tell that things were bothering Sam.

Sam. Ever since they started going out, things were different between them. In some ways good, in some ways bad. Their old relationship was one of best friends. They could tell the other anything and support was given whenever needed. It was basically the same now that they were together as a couple, except that there was holding of hands and kissing and sometimes a little more……….

"Danny it's just that I care about you and I hate seeing you like this." Sam said showing concern and biting her lip.

Tucker jumped in. "Yeah Danny, believe it or not we worry about you anyway, no matter what you are doing."

"I know guys, I guess I am just a bit stressed out. Maybe I should just get some sleep, I feel really tired." Danny said scratching the back of his head and yawning. The medication running through the tubes were doing their job.

Sam rubbed her eyes and walked to the door followed by Tucker. Danny settled back into the bed to try to get comfortable, but it was obvious that he couldn't due to his injuries. Sam nodded to Tucker, and he got the hint. He wished Danny a good night and promised to visit him as soon as he got home. Hospitals really weren't his thing. Danny gave a small wave and continued to shift about.

Sam walked back into the room and stood next to the bed. It took Danny about a minute and a half before he realized that she was still there. She gave him a weak smile, obvious that she was tired herself, and tried to help him get situated in the bed. After a few minutes Danny sighed and gave up on being comfortable at all. He looked up at Sam and took her hand in his.

"I'm sorry Sammy."

"It's not your fault Danny, I just worry about you. I see what all this ghost fighting is doing to you and it scares me."

"I can see that now, but you know I can't change anything right? I still have a job to do."

"Just promise me that you won't go do something stupid."

"I promise."

She gave him a stern look. He could tell she didn't believe him for a second, but put on a good face to make him feel better. She leaned in and they kissed. After several minutes she broke the moment and went to leave the room.

"Try to get some sleep and I will visit you tomorrow after school." She switched off the lights and started to close the door to his room. Just before the door clicked shut, Danny whispered something to himself, but she heard him say it and that made her heart fall right out of her chest.

"Sammy, I scare myself too."


	6. Chapter 6: Bat Barrettes

**Here comes another chapter for you. Thanks for all the reviews from the previous chapters. Look for the next chapter soon **

**As usual I do not own the characters, Butch Hartman does. Fun times.**

* * *

Three days in the hospital was a welcomed rest to Danny. No school, no homework, no ghost fighting. He got to spend some quality time with Sam, which was nice, and he was served food that wasn't glowing, a definite plus.

What more could he ask for in his life?

Well feeling better for starters. His equilibrium was still a bit off due too one eye still under wraps, the ringing was still present in his one ear, and the foreboding thoughts about his powers were running through his mind. Fresh air would have been nice too. Three days of stale hospital sheets and cleaning supplies was driving him nuts. The doctors kept him under constant observation due to his steadily declining health and the sketchy blood work. Sneaking out for a quick flight was out of the question.

He had plenty of time during the days to contemplate what he had come to realize about his current state. It worried him a great deal to say the least. His powers were growing out of control? The last time a new power arose it was a bit of a transition. Something along the lines of freezing from the inside out made him realize then, but what was it now? No real signs except the inability to change back to human. There had to be more, but what? Thinking was giving him a headache. He wanted to talk it out with his friends, but he didn't want to burden them with the idea that they were in danger from him losing control.

He tried not to think of it too much for now knowing that while in the hospital he should just take it easy and rest. Rest wasn't all that hard to get actually seeing how he would just pass out every so often and awake a short time later.

Nothing to do but sit and watch the clock tick away.

* * *

Tucker stopped coming to visit after Danny gave him the ok. Hospitals weren't his thing, and after the doctors told him he couldn't use his PDA due to it interfering with the machines. He was all but lost to them.

Jazz came and stayed for a while as well. She was constantly fluffing his pillow or calling the nurse in every time Danny so much as coughed. Danny would give Sam the 'please help me' face and Sam would in turn roll her eyes.

Sam was worried to say the least. She had been coming every day after school to keep him company until the visiting hours were over and she was sent home. They would chat a bit, she would do her homework, and fill him in on any news

She was trying to guess what was bothering him. Probing him for clues, or hoping he would drop hints was proving ineffective. Plus every now and again he would simply fall sound asleep. She would sit and read until he woke up. At first she thought it was the medication, but after three days, and being weaned off the tubes, she didn't know what to think.

She thought the worst.

* * *

On the fourth day after he had woken up the doctors told Danny he could go home, but he should still stay in bed. They gave his parents all the prescriptions he would need and a note for the school for his extended absence. It would be at least another week before he went back to class, but no complaints were coming from him.

He was situated in a wheelchair, his parents filling out all the necessary paperwork at the desk, ready to be rolled out of the hospital, when he spotted Sam walking in.

"Hey Sam!" He waved her over.

"Getting out I see. I bet you're happy." Sam said with a smile.

"Ecstatic. I was going crazy in here."

"I know. One more day of basic cable and I think you might have set the whole ward on fire."

The two of them laughed when the voices of his parents could be heard being raised. The two seemed transfixed on what was going on.

"I wonder what that was all about?" Sam asked.

"Probably my parents just explaining to the doctor that they believe ghosts are haunting the cafeteria or they just got the bill for my stay here."

Sam giggled at his innate ability to see humor in the situation, but stopped and took a good look at him. His one eye was still in a bandage and she knew from talking with him that his one ear still hadn't healed right. He was still awfully pale, and seemed to be a little drowsy. She knew that the wheelchair was a hospital policy, but she believed he likely needed it anyway. He was a fast healer due to his powers, which is why all of his bones were set back to where they needed to be. Had he been a normal teenager, he would still be bed ridden and still be in a coma. Danny was stronger though. Shaking off two days of being unconscious and a four day hospital visit was no laughing matter, and she was sure the doctors all noticed it as well.

"Everything all right Sammy?"

She broke her stare to see him staring right back at her. "Yeah, but are you sure you are ok? I mean you still don't look to good."

"I feel a little out of it, but another day of rest and I am sure that I will be as good as new. All I need is my bed and my video games." Danny had a big grin on his face. "Oh, and you of course!"

Sam sighed. "Boys."

Danny's parents stormed back over to where he was and began pushing him out of the building. They directed him over to the RV and helped him in. Sam hopped right in after and sat next to him, making sure extra seatbelts where fixed where needed. Jack got in the drivers' seat. Sam wished there were more seatbelts.

* * *

What should have been a twenty minute drive, turned into a seven minute roller coaster experience. The two in the back seat let go after they were sure the engines were off. His parents got out first and he could hear his sister come out of the house to greet them. As they opened the sliding door to the back of the van Jazz could be heard giving them a lecture on unsafe driving habits and Danny's poor health. Sam undid all of his seatbelts and helped him by guiding him to the front steps.

"Really, I'm fine. I can do it on my own." Danny said in an appreciative voice.

"I know, but if I don't help you into the house, then I think Jazz will all but carry you up those stairs herself." Sam said with a smile and a nod towards the redhead who was all but wearing a nurses outfit herself.

Danny laughed and accepted the help. Sam got him upstairs as the rest of the family went to get his stuff out of the van. She took off his shoes, got his shirt off, and tucked him into bed. He was already in his pj pants, seeing as they were on him at the hospital. She flinched a bit at all the bruising and scars that showed up on his chest. Some were old, most were new. He saw this and looked away from her. He was upset because he knew she was worried about him. He didn't know how to make her feel better. He didn't even know how to make himself feel better, and the fact that after almost a week and he still hurt was a constant reminder.

He felt a weight sink onto the bed beside him and a warm hand brush some hair out of his face.

"You need a haircut."

"Nah, I just need some gel."

"You don't use gel, you hardly ever use a brush."

"True. I guess I could go for a trim."

She continued to play with his hair until he caught her hand in his and brought her in for a kiss. She moved her hands to the back of his neck and let her fingers play in his hair a bit. He grabbed her shoulders and ran his hands down them until his hands were on her thighs. He gave a light squeeze at them and she let a soft moan escape her mouth. They broke the kiss at the sound of foot steps coming up the stairs.

"I'll bring some scissors tomorrow."

"That works since I won't be going to the barber for a bit, but do me a favor?"

"Yes?"

"No bat barrettes this time please."

Sam gave him a big smile at the reminder. There was a picture of him in her locker from the last time she cut his hair with a cute bat sticking out on the side of his head.

"I don't make promises I can't keep." a grin on her face.


	7. Chapter 7: What's to Worry About!

Sorry for the long delay. Had the chapter written, but between having to evacuate due to flooding, losing half of my belongings and getting a promotion, well things have been a bit busy.

Will try to get the next one out sooner. Thanks for all the reviews

As per the usual Danny is all property of Mr. Hartman.

* * *

A few days had passed and nothing had changed at Casper High. Students piled into classrooms to hear boring lectures, stood in line to buy lunch, and ran laps in gym class. The week had gone by without major incident. No random ghost attacks and no sightings of the ghost boy. These trivial matters went unnoticed in most part by the student body except to a select few.

First the Fentons thought it suspicious that the ghost boy didn't rear his head in public, and even though their main concern was the welfare of their son currently, the absence was duly noted. Second, Valerie was oblivious to the fact that Danny was absent from classes due to her gloating over finally defeating Phantom. No sign of the white haired specter had been seen in days and she felt elated in her victory.

Now the third person who felt a void in his daily routine had no real clue as to why until it became very apparent. His punching bag was missing. Dash Baxter realized that a few days without stuffing Fenton into a locker was making him tense. His daily beatings and berating of the lanky classmate loosened his muscles and relaxed his nerves. He was a bit on edge.

"Hey Dash, how's it going?" Valerie asked as she walked into the classroom.

"Horrible. I have all these knots in my shoulders and I can't stop shaking my legs." Dash said obviously jittery and in need of a massage.

"Why, is something bothering you?" Valerie asked trying to feign mild concern. It was no secret that ever since her decline into lower middle class, all of her 'so-called' friends made a quick deal of losing her number.

"Nah, I just need to get rid of some of this pent up energy and work out some muscles."

"So hit the weight room."

"It just isn't the same."

"The same? The same as what?"

"The same as taking a nerd and stuffing him into a locker. Forcing an entire body into a small crammed space and pushing it closed locking him in there."

"Well this building is full of nerds, geeks, and dweebs. Pick one."

"It just isn't the same." Dash again said with a sigh.

"I'm going to punch you." She quipped dryly. "It isn't the same as what?!"

"It can't be just any nerd. I need it to be Fenton. The feeling I get when I wail on him is almost Zen-like."

"You have issues you know that?"

"Whatever. The minute he gets back to school I will make sure he gets the beating of a lifetime."

"Gets back?"

"What, you didn't know? Fentardo landed himself in the hospital a few days ago." Dash said with a puzzled look to her. "I thought you two were buddy-buddy and all?"

"Well yeah, sort of, not as of late." Valerie hadn't really noticed his absence. Thinking back she couldn't recall seeing him in school, and the lack of the trio in the lunch room was now becoming apparent. Sam and Tucker had been spacing out more lately she mused, well Tucker always spaced out, but Sam was acting more zombie-like than usual. No wonder. "Wait, he's in the hospital? What happened?!"

"Geez, where have you been? Under a rock." Dash asked bewildered at her reaction.

"Now I'm really gonna punch you! Just tell me." She demanded.

"I thought I was tense."

She raised her arm and formed a fist.

"All right, all right. He went and got himself buried alive or something."

"Buried alive!"

"It was all over the news like days ago. He had to be pulled out by a SWAT team and a crane."

Her jaw dropped to the floor. She realized that she was in her own world as of late, but to not notice that one of her friends had been hospitalized and spread all over the news, she felt like an ass. She quickly turned heel and ran out of the classroom. Hopefully visiting hours weren't over.

* * *

"The CDC?!?"

That wasn't the kind of thing that Danny needed to hear at the moment. His parents had just come into his room to check on him, when he saw the mixed expressions on their faces. Remembering the incident at the hospital, he made the mistake of asking if there was anything wrong.

"That's what I said, but the doctor seemed insistent." Maddie said with a look of concern on her face. She walked over to his bedside and felt his forehead for any signs of a temperature. He felt a bit cold, which worried her, but the fact that he was so pale worried her more. With all that blood loss it was to be expected, but he should be a bit better by now right? "It seems that with the irregularities present in your blood samples, and your condition, he had no other choice."

"What kind of irregularities?" Dread was written all over Danny's face. He looked to Sam, who had taken a seat at his desk, to find her wearing the same expression.

"For the most part they didn't tell us much, but we were shown the tests and there seemed to be ectoplasm mixed into all of your samples." His mom started to say missing the very large gulp Danny had just taken. "I was surprised to say the least."

"I know what the problem is!" Jack boomed from the doorway.

Danny all but jumped out of the bed at the sound of his father's voice. His mind was running in a thousand directions, but they all seemed to end up at the same place. It seemed his parents were finally to learn his secret………

"Ghosts!"

The crowd went silent.

Jack could tell from the expressions on their faces that they were expecting that response.

"I'm serious this time. It is the work of ghosts. I mean come on, the ectoplasm in the blood, the attack on the lab, Danny's accident. I bet they are all connected." He stated the conclusion and slammed his fist into his other hand with vigor.

"The attack on the lab?" Sam asked from behind Maddie.

"Yeah, these specters came right in from the ceiling and tried to tear apart the lab. We were in the kitchen when we heard all the ruckus." Maddie said as she took a seat on the edge of Danny's bed.

"They were there to destroy our latest invention for sure!" Jack boomed.

"How could they have known what we were working on dear? I mean we had just finished it." She said turning back to her husband.

"The same way they got past our defense system in the first place. They are a crafty bunch." He said while grabbing at his chin in thought.

Danny turned to Sam with a puzzled look. They both had already begun to formulate possible suspects. Who would have been able to break into the house without setting off the 'Fenton Security System'? Everything was silent for a moment until Sam broke it to ask a question…..

"What invention was it Mr. Fenton?"

Big mistake.

Instantaneously Jack's face lit up with pride, Maddie put a big grin on, Sam smacked her forehead, and Danny's face filled with absolute fear.

"Glad you asked!" Jack said as Maddie and he ran out of the room to go fetch the contraption.

Sam turned to face Danny very slowly. Their eyes met and she regretted it instantly.

"You've doomed me, you know that right?"


	8. Chapter 8: Visitors are coming over

**Wow, been a long time coming for this update lol. Sorry to anyone who was actually waiting for the update. **

**Had most of this chapter written out for a while, just never had much to fill it in with. I actually combined two chapters to fill it in.**

Kinda just a filler really. Not much action, just what is up with other characters.

I also have more chapters written, missing random parts as well, but have no idea how to connect those pages with where I am now.

I am the worst at connecting the lines... 

**-**

It had been an interesting few days. The billionaire Vlad Masters never truly had boring days. Between corporate takeovers, a new wing being added to his mansion, and once again being denied ownership to the Packers, he had been pretty busy.

The highlight, of course, had been the near annihilation of his arch nemesis at the hands of his go-to-girl. He was still amazed at how quickly she had adapted to the new equipment he'd sent her. His only regret is that the pain and suffering delivered upon the Fenton child had not been brought on by his own hands.

The victory, albeit a small one, was short lived. After his phone call to his dear Maddie, consoling her in this time of need, he learned the boy was making a swift recovery. Feigning excitement, he offered her anything she may need, and then made plans to visit soon. He would use that as an excuse of course. He planned on going anyway, if not to gloat over the boy, but to try to finish the job.

The offer would once again be put out there to join him, but Vlad already knew the answer. Besides the boy had been showing great increases in power recently, hence the eagerness to remove him as a threat.

Vlad had plans, plans that he would see through this time. He was sick of Daniel constantly getting in his way. At least with him injured he stood a chance of getting the one up on him. Vald felt pathetic with these plans, but he knew he wanted to win, and would do whatever he had to too accomplish them.

Next on his list was getting back into the Fenton's' lab…

**-**

"What do you mean he isn't here?"

Valerie had sprinted as quickly across town to the hospital as she could. She would have used the glider, but she didn't want to draw unnecessary attention. She darted into the lobby and promptly grabbed the first nurse she could find. Luckily there seemed to be one typing away behind the main desk.

"I am sorry miss, but he was released."

"I thought he was in a coma?"

"Well he woke up, and to our surprise, made a speedy recovery."

Now Valerie was really confused. Not only did she just find out about what happened to Danny, but now also hearing that he was fine and went home? She didn't know what to think. "Speedy recovery from a coma?"

"Yes, I know it sounds strange. Especially since when he was brought in we thought we were going to lose him. Then, as if it was a miracle, he woke up a few days later!" The nurse was all too happy to convey excitement to Valerie about the miraculous Fenton boy.

"He almost died!" Valerie spun on her heels and zipped in the other direction.

"Yeah, too bad about his parents though, the CDC getting involved."

Now Valerie was half out the door, on the way to the Fenton Works building, when she stopped and turned around. This nurse seemed all too happy to release personal information to perfect strangers, so no harm in asking right? "What about his parents and the CDC?"

"Well I'm not supposed to say, but being one of his good friends, I am sure that you will hear from him." The nurse leaned over the counter and whispered. "They found unknown contaminants and they believed the parents to be poisoning him. I am sure that it is unintentional, but still the law is the law…."

Valerie was out the door five seconds later.

**-**

Tucker wasn't always quick to pick up clues, but no one could keep up with technology like he could. The companies who designed the software would barely have the last lines of codes typed out before he had a hard copy.

Always a back up PDA or extra wire to sync up to a computer could be found on him. Yep Tucker was a techno-geek to a tee. His other winning trait was how close he keeps his friends.

Fierce, trustworthy, and honest.

Over the years, his friendship has been tested many times. Being best friends with Danny, even before the ghost powers, made sure of that. Even when the duo became a trio when Sam came along, nothing really changed. That was until Danny noticed Sam was a girl, a pretty girl….

As of late, he noticed that Danny had been stressed out and acting a bit weird, but getting a chance to tell him that was proving to be complicated. Free time was not in Danny's vocabulary anymore. Since the incident with the ghost portal all that time ago the only free time his best friend really gets is used sleeping, or school, or sleeping in school. Anything else tends to go towards Sam.

Now Tucker, not wanting to be the jealous type, but totally being the jealous type, tried best he could to squeeze in quality time with his best bud. Efforts proving useless except when fighting the bad guys together, well because there always seems to be a bad guy. He was completely happy for the two for sure. Being one of the sole supporters of the companionship this whole time was not a lie. Still a bro is a bro, and he wanted a chance to get more than five minutes of face time with him.

He was in the process of parking his scooter outside Danny's house when he saw Valerie round the street corner. Breath check and a quick straightening of his shirt he was on his way to intercept. Bro or not, Danny could wait a few more minutes….


	9. Chapter 9: A good reason to move out

Hey there, sorry that once again I am super late with an update. What makes it worse is that I uploaded chapter 8 a while ago, but it never updated the file here. So you may want to go back and skim that one as well.

Good news is that I have another few chapters written out, bad news is that they aren't the next couple of chapters in sequence...

I have to find a good way to connect them together at the moment, but when I do you will get somewhat of a decent update.

Thanks to anyone still reading this after all this time ::hugs::

Danny Phantom (c) Butch Hartman

* * *

"I call it the 'Fenton Spectral Screecher'." Jack boomed as he displayed this latest invention to his son.

"We haven't fully tested it yet, but isn't it amazing!" Maddie stated with a look of pride on her face.

Danny simply kept a straight face. Inside he was trying to run away, but he stayed as collected as possible in front of his parents. He turned to Sam, who was having a harder time hiding the look of dread on her face. He was hoping that she would come up with an excuse to get them to leave before activating the device.

"I can tell from your silence that you are intrigued in what this machine can do!" Jack shouted. "I know I am!"

Danny's mom took the machine from him so as to demonstrate it for everyone. Danny cringed instantly as if on instinct.

The device itself was not overly impressive looking. It was small and tubular in shape. It reminded him of a flute or clarinet in essence. It had very few buttons; what only looked like an on/off switch, an LCD screen, and just one big dial.

He was terrified. He knew better of his parents' inventions. Just because it was tiny and unimposing didn't mean it could not kill you in an instant.

"I wish we had a test subject so we could monitor its' reaction." Maddie said as she flipped the power switch.

"What exactly does it do Mrs. Fenton?" Sam asked hoping to distract for a bit of time. She needed to come up with a reason to get them out of here before they got any further with their demonstration.

"Glad you asked!" Jack jumped into cut off Maddie just as she opened her mouth to explain. "The Fenton Spectral Screecher emits a unique mix of high pitched frequencies that not only incapacitates any ghost who hears it, but also nullifies spectral energies and cancels out spectral noise."

"Basically it works the same as a dog whistle, except it also stops ghosts in their tracks." Maddie added noticing the puzzled look the kids were giving her. "It makes them unable to move or use their energy to harm people or get away."

"Does it hurt them?" Sam asked hoping for a good answer.

Jack and Maddie stopped to look at each other. They were silent for all of two seconds before Jack chuckled out. "Probably, but who cares, they're ghosts!"

Danny winced. "So only ghosts can hear it?"

"That's right honey, so don't worry, unless of course you are a ghost!" She gave slight laugh at the thought then turned back to the device.

Danny grit his teeth and slowly slid back under the covers. Sam was still trying to come up with an excuse to get them to leave.

"Umm, Mrs. Fenton, I think Danny should really get some rest, I mean it has been a long day, and he is finally home….." she tried desperately to convey concern.

"As soon as we show you kids how high this weapon can be cranked up to. It should only be another minute….." Maddie said while tinkering with the frequency dial. Just then the machine made a weird noise, as if it was about to explode. "Darn it! We forgot to charge it." She said with a look of disappointment.

Danny peeked out from under the covers and released the breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"Don't worry Danny, as soon as this baby is all charged up, we'll find us a ghost and really show you what this invention can do." Jack tried consoling his son after seeing the look on his face. What he failed to comprehend was that his son was more than happy to never see that contraption ever again.

"For now sweetie just get some rest, and I will check in on you later." Maddie gave him a kiss to the forehead and left with Jack.

Danny turned to Sam to see her getting up from the chair and coming back towards the bed. She grabbed his hand to find it a bit cold, and sat there next to him in silence for a few minutes before saying anything.

"I don't like the sound of what that machine can do." She said softly rubbing the back of her arm.

"Well that is the problem living with parents who are two of the foremost ghost hunters and scientists; you get dangerous weapons." He said dryly.

"You are going to have to break the news to them eventually about your secret you know."

Danny could tell Sam was really worried from the tone she was talking in, but she knew what the consequences might be if his parents ever found out about him. At the moment he wasn't strong, or brave enough to tell them.

"It's not that easy. If anyone is witness to my parents' madness it's you Sam. I know they love me, but they love science just as much. Dissection will always be an option with them."


End file.
